Financial Services: Education

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consider the creation of a database of personal finance teaching resources and volunteers to help young people; if he will consider a scheme to quality mark such resources where they are made available to teachers; and if he will consider using the Personal Finance Education Group charity to deliver such a scheme.

Nick Gibb: Finance education is currently taught as part of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. The last OFSTED survey of PSHE, in 2010, included limited evidence about the teaching of personal finance education because the subject was relatively new. We are looking at the quality of finance education as part of a review of PSHE to determine how we can improve the quality of all PSHE teaching.
	Support from businesses in and outside the financial services sector is important in helping schools with their finance education programmes. Schools are already drawing on expertise from financial institutions, and organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, to help deliver financial capability education. However, we want schools to have the flexibility to use their judgment about how best to deliver finance education, including which external partners to use, rather than for Government to approach businesses directly.
	We set out, in our White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, how schools will be freed from central Government direction, and how we will trust the professional judgment of teachers to decide on the teaching that best meets the needs of their pupils. Consistent with that principle, we have also protected front line school budgets, and reduced central Government programmes, so that schools can also decide how to use their resources to meet local priorities. We therefore have no plans to create a database of personal finance education teaching resources and volunteers. Schools are aware that there are a number of sources available from which they can obtain useful information, including, for example, the Personal Finance Education Group, who have a wide range of resources on their website aimed at teachers and finance education practitioners.

Legionnaires' Disease: Edinburgh

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions the Health and Safety Executive in Scotland has visited the premises operated by (a) North British Distillery Company, Edinburgh, (b) Macfarlan Smith, Edinburgh and (c) Burton's Biscuit factory, Sighthill, Edinburgh, for the purpose of ascertaining that measures to prevent the development and spread of Legionnaires' disease have been taken in each year from 2007 to 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: HSE inspectors have made the following visits between 2007 and 2012 for the purpose of assessing the measures in place to manage legionella risks at these companies:
	(a) North British Distillery Ltd
	No specific visits to assess the management of legionella risks.
	Last inspection was 15 March 2010 to assess their management of major accident hazards.
	(b) Macfarlan Smith Ltd
	A visit to assess the management of legionella risks was carried out on 4 February 2010.
	(c) Burtons Foods Ltd
	A visit to assess the management of legionella risks was carried out on 17 June 2008.
	Inspections are only one tool that HSE has available to help companies meet their legal obligations to control and manage the risks in relation to legionella. HSE also provides free guidance in addition to ongoing work with water treatment firms and trade bodies.

Work Capability Assessment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his answers of 24 November 2011, Official Report, columns 569-70W and 17 May 2012, Official Report, column 295W, if he will provide statistics drawn from the Department's Management Information System on the total number of work capability assessments resulting from reassessment which have been completed to date.

Chris Grayling: The data requested is not available.
	Official statistics on work capability assessment outcomes for claimants going through the incapacity benefits reassessment programme have now been published and the Department plans to update these official statistics on 3 July 2012. As Official Statistics in this area are now available and an update is forthcoming the Department does not produce or release other, similar analyses of the data.
	The latest publication can be found on the Departmental website here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_ib

Consideration on Report

Simon Hughes: To ask the Leader of the House what discussions he has had on ensuring that sufficient time for debate of new clauses and amendments to Government Bills is given at Report stage.

George Young: The Government recognises the value of parliamentary scrutiny of legislation. This Government has provided more days than the last administration for Report stages and where necessary we will provide more than one day for Report stage.

Bahrain

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the human rights records of members of the Bahraini government who plan to visit the UK during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Alistair Burt: The Government has been clear that regardless of the country concerned where there is independent, reliable and credible evidence that an individual has committed human rights abuses, the individual will not normally be permitted to enter the UK.

Ukraine

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on official ministerial visits to Ukraine during the European football championships.

William Hague: The Government fully supports England's participation in Euro 2012. We hope this is a successful tournament for the England team, the fans, and the people of Ukraine and Poland.
	No Ministers will be attending group games at Euro 2012. We are keeping attendance at later stages of the tournament under review.

Entry Clearances: Higher Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely effect of changes to the regulations for Tier 2 visas on the number of foreign academics wishing to work at UK higher education institutions who specialise in teaching STEM subjects; and what assessment she has made of the potential economic benefits of such changes.

Damian Green: No academics have been excluded as a result of Tier 2 changes. Foreign academics have the requisite skills and salary levels to qualify for Tier 2.
	The annual limit for Tier 2 has been undersubscribed and, even if the limit was reached, academics are given high priority when allocating places.
	From 14 June we are making changes to the operation of the Resident Labour Market Test to better fit higher education recruitment practices, and to allow higher education institutions to select the best candidate for the role, regardless of whether they are a resident or migrant worker.
	In addition to these generous provisions in Tier 2, academics who are world leaders in their field can apply in the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route. There are also further provisions for sponsored researchers in Tier 5.
	The Government has made clear that it is committed to attracting the brightest and the best migrants and has had no representations from the sector about negative impacts.
	Full impact assessments for Tier 2 changes have been published on the Home Office website and I have placed copies in the Library of the House.

Race Relations: EU Action

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK has fully implemented EU Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA; and what assessment her Department has made of its effectiveness in combating racism and xenophobia.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government fully complies with the provisions of the Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia through the use of existing domestic legislation and common law.
	Although the UK has no specific criminal offences of publicly condoning, denying or grossly trivialising crimes of genocide; crimes against humanity; war crimes; and crimes against peace (as required in Article 1 (1) (c) and (d) of the Framework Decision), conduct of this type carried out in a manner likely to incite violence or hatred would be covered by existing offences.
	While no formal assessment of the framework's effectiveness has been undertaken, post-legislative scrutiny of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act was undertaken and is available from the Vote Office and at:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm81/8164/8164.pdf

Credit Unions

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect on credit unions of erroneous claims for mis-selling of payment protection insurance. [R]

Mark Hoban: There has not been a significant effect regarding mis-selling Payment Protection Insurance (PPI), or erroneous claims for mis-selling of PPI, on the credit unions sector. Only a minority of credit unions were involved in PPI due to the generally small size of credit unions and small size of loans issued.
	The Government supports the work that the Financial Services Authority, the Competition Commission, the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the Office of Fair Trading are undertaking to recompense customers who have been mis-sold policies, and to prevent cases of mis-selling in the future.

EU Budget

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government takes to mitigate the potential currency gain or loss from converting the UK's contribution to the EU budget and receiving funds from the EU.

Mark Hoban: All UK contributions to the annual EU budget are paid in sterling. Receipts from the EU budget are converted from euro to sterling at an exchange rate prevailing at the time the transaction is due to take place. The Government does not have a central exchange rate risk mitigation mechanism with respect to receipts from the EU budget but Government Departments and agencies that receive EU funds may choose to make individual exchange rate risk mitigation arrangements.

Personal Savings

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to create a savings culture in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Government's savings strategy is based on the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility, so that it meets the needs of consumers while remaining effective and affordable. In particular, the Government aims to encourage more lower and middle income households to start saving and to save more, especially for the long term and retirement.
	The Government has taken steps to support existing savers and encourage new savers, including:
	1. Promoting choice by providing flexibility to consumers in a competitive market. This Government introduced the Junior ISA, removed the effective requirement to annuitise at age 75, and announced at Budget 2012 that the Government will work with industry to improve competitiveness and transparency in the ISA market, including encouraging industry to make use of the technological advances in how information and funds can be transferred to bring further reductions in the time taken to transfer a cash ISA between providers. The Government also welcomes and strongly supports the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) recommendations to make it easier for personal customers, small businesses and charities to switch their bank account. The Government is clear that the new switching proposals need to be fully implemented by the industry by September 2013 and will monitor progress closely through quarterly interim reports.
	2. Promoting fairness in incentives to save by introducing automatic enrolment of employees into a pension scheme from October 2012, reforming the way pensions tax relief is restricted and indexing ISA contribution limits to inflation.
	3. Promoting personal responsibility within the saving, debt and protection system so individuals are equipped to exercise effective choice and plan for expected and unexpected events. This Government has introduced the Money Advice Service, which amongst other services provides a free financial ‘health check’; asked an independent steering group to devise a suite of simple financial products to help increase the number of new participants in savings and protection insurance markets by providing straightforward, easy to understand products; and worked with industry and consumer groups to establish a ‘default’ open market option, which requires retirees to make an active choice about their provider and the shape of their annuity.

Taxation: Multinational Companies

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of reforms to the controlled foreign companies regime on developed countries;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the value of revenue from corporation tax forgone under the changes to the controlled foreign companies regime;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of revenue expected to accrue to the Exchequer from companies returning to the UK as a result of reforms to the controlled foreign companies regime;
	(4)  what the changes are to modelling and data referred to on page 14 of the Budget 2012 Policy Costings document, which made a difference to the costing of reforms to the controlled foreign companies reforms between Budget 2011 and Budget 2012.

David Gauke: The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the effect on other countries of the proposed changes to the controlled foreign companies (CFC) rules as these rules are designed to protect the UK Exchequer by preventing artificial diversion of UK profits.
	Such an impact assessment would need to focus primarily on the nature of tax regimes in other countries and the interactions of multinational companies with those tax systems, making it an assessment not of our tax rules, but of the tax rules of those other countries. The Government do not think that such an assessment would be feasible.
	The cost of changes to the controlled foreign companies (CFC) rules were set out in table 2.1 and 2.2 of Budget 2012. The total cost of £910 million in 2018-19 is detailed in the 2012 Policy Costings Document available on the HM Treasury website.
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_chapter2.pdf
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_policy_costings.pdf
	The costings for the reforms to the controlled foreign companies (CFC) rules did not include any assessment of the Exchequer impact of groups returning to the UK.
	The changes to modelling and data referred to on page 14 of the “Budget 2012 Policy Costings” document reflect further analytical work undertaken since Budget 2011 and changes to the detailed policy design. As there is no precise way to separate these impacts they are presented together.

Coryton Oil Refinery

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the implications for (a) the security of UK fuel supply and (b) UK energy resilience of the potential closure of Coryton Oil Refinery; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such assessment.

Charles Hendry: The Department has assessed the implications for (a) the security of UK fuel supply and (b) UK energy resilience of the potential closure of Coryton Oil Refinery. As part of this process the Department has been in close contact with fuel suppliers who use Coryton. London and the South East England are served by a number of supply points and suppliers have plans in place to maintain their fuel supply operations in the event of the closure of the refinery. There is a healthy, global market with supplier diversity for refined product, and the UK has a further seven operational refineries. Consequently, there are no significant risks to security of fuel supply or energy resilience should refining activity stop at Coryton.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the Diamond Jubilee celebration.

Hugh Robertson: The national events that took place over the four day Jubilee Weekend in London, were funded by the organisers, and through individual donations and corporate partnerships. Costs for elements of support and coordination falling to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, including certain stewarding and temporary structures built for the public and media, are still being finalised.

Misleading Advertising

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in dealing with misleading advertising; whether the ASA verifies that companies comply with its rulings; how many companies were subject to more than one ruling by ASA in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ASA rulings in dealing with misleading claims in advertising by (a) Nestle and (b) Ferrero.

Edward Vaizey: No assessment has been made. The matters raised are operational ones for the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which is independent of Government.
	Accordingly, my officials spoke to the ASA, who advised that in 2011 they handled 19,510 complaints about misleading advertising across all sectors and 31,458 complaints overall. As a result of their action, 4,591 ad campaigns were amended or withdrawn in 2011.
	The ASA requires assurances from advertisers subject to adjudication that they will comply with its rulings, and the ASA will take compliance action should such assurances not be received.
	330 advertisers have been subject to more than one upheld ASA adjudication over the past 12 months. Approximately two-thirds of these were subject to just two rulings. However, the ASA has noted that multiple rulings are not a direct corollary of non-compliance but, rather, reflects the amount of advertising produced by large advertisers.
	The ASA's monitoring team undertakes a significant amount of ongoing work monitoring the effectiveness of the rules, including, since 2007, three proactive monitoring surveys of the food and soft drink sector. Their 2009 food and soft drink advertising survey revealed an overall compliance rate with the rules of 99.4%.

Mexico

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to ensure that aid to Clean Technology Fund projects in Mexico is directed towards generating affordable, renewable energy for the indigenous population.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government supports the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and sits on the Trust Fund Committee which reviews country-owned investment plans and projects. The UK has been instrumental in ensuring that the CTF meets both climate and development objectives, providing broader benefits for local populations. This includes poverty alleviation, access to renewable energy, improved air and water quality, and local industrial development potential.
	Mexico's investment plan was endorsed in 2009 by the CTF Committee. It supports the low-carbon objectives in the country's 2007-12 National Development Plan, its National Climate Change Strategy and Special Climate Change Program. Projects have now also been approved and are being implemented.

Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff working for his Department and its non-departmental public bodies are employed through off-payroll engagements costing less than £58,200 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID recently conducted a comprehensive review of tax arrangements for public sector appointments in contract at 31 January 2012. This was a government-wide review commissioned by Her Majesty's Treasury.
	DFID had 77 appointments off payroll at 31 January 2012 and at an annual cost to the Department of less than £58,200: 76 contracted through an employment agency or consultancy firm and one non-executive director.
	DFID will continue to review all non-payroll arrangements to ensure that all appointments meet their tax obligations and that the contractual arrangement is the most appropriate for the situation.

Government Departments: Procurement

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he has taken to improve the process of government procurement.

Francis Maude: holding answer 24 May 2012
	The programme of procurement reform we have initiated is unprecedented and has already yielded billions of pounds in savings for the taxpayer, including through tighter controls.
	A reformed Government Procurement Service is leading the way in letting cross Government deals which standardise requirements and leverage Government's buying power to full effect.
	We have introduced a new LEAN sourcing process for central Government which aims to reduce procurement time scales by at least 40%. I have mandated that all Departments, should procure all but the most complex goods and services within 120 days using more open competitions so that new and different types of suppliers and business models can flourish. We have also removed various obstacles in the process itself such as unnecessary or over burdensome pre-qualification questionnaires.
	Details of all our procurement reform can be found on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://procurement.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Voluntary Work: Young People

Graham Stuart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has considered expanding the National Citizen service to include year 10 students.

Nick Hurd: The vision for National Citizen Service is that it is a 'rite of passage' for young people, to mark the transition to adulthood.
	There are currently no plans to offer the programme to year 10.

Manufacturing Industries: Training

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to improve manufacturing skills in London through (a) apprenticeships and (b) higher education courses.

John Hayes: Manufacturing skills are high on this Department's agenda. On apprenticeships, final data for the 2010/11 academic year shows that there were 2,330 apprenticeship starts in London in the engineering and manufacturing technologies sector subject area, up by 45.1% on 2009/10. The National Apprenticeship Service is working with employers to further promote and prioritise expansion in this sector, and in London overall.
	On higher education courses, universities are autonomous bodies and make their own decisions about the courses they provide to meet the changing needs of their students. We do not hold specific data on manufacturing skills in London. We have asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to continue to prioritise strategically important subjects such as engineering and manufacturing and vulnerable subjects (SIVS) when allocating the teaching grant.

Overseas Trade: Gabon

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to post UK Trade and Industry staff to Libreville in Gabon; and what proposals he has to support companies and organisations that wish to do business in Gabon.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has no plans to post staff in Gabon. We have recently reviewed UKTI's presence across the globe in order to ensure we have the appropriate coverage within existing resources. In that review we concluded not to extend services in Gabon. UK Trade and Investment has staff in 96 markets which account for 98% of world GDP. Gabon is covered by the British high commission in Cameroon. Political support from the Head of Mission in Yaoundé in respect of lobbying for a particular contract or business with interests in Gabon is available. UKTI also provides very basic information on Gabon and other markets in which we do not have personnel via the relevant country pages of the UKTI website. Support for UK-based companies interested in Gabon is also available from private sector business multipliers.

Retail Trade

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to help support the retail sector.

Mark Prisk: The Government is actively working to help all retailers. Retail is vitally important to local and national economies. This was why it was chosen to be one of the first sectors to be the subject of a growth review, and was the first theme chosen for the Red Tape Challenge. These initiatives identified a number of barriers to successful retail performance and growth, which the Government is addressing.
	As a result the Government has committed to extending small business rate relief and announced that 160 regulations impacting on retailers or their customers will be scrapped or simplified. We are also conducting a review of employment law.
	In March, the Government's formal response to the recommendations made by Mary Portas in her report, “An Independent Review into the Future of our High Streets”, was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	Following a competition launched by the Minister for Housing and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), 12 towns across the country have now been selected as 'Portas Pilots', benefiting from a share of £1 million to help turn around their high streets and road-test the collaborative, local ‘Town Team’ approach recommended by Mary Portas.

Students: Loans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the public finances of the introduction of 24+ advanced learning loans in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

John Hayes: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will publish a Regulatory Impact Assessment of 24+ Advanced Learning Loans following clearance by the Regulatory Reform Cabinet Committee. This will include an assessment of the costs and benefits of introducing loans.

Summertime

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress he has made in conducting his proposed study to review the scope, quality and robustness of the available evidence on changing the clocks by one hour.

Norman Lamb: David Simmonds Consultancy have carried out their initial research on this study and are now seeking information from relevant Government Departments and interested parties. All information will be collated in a report which is expected to be with the Department in July 2012.

Homelessness

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to introduce a national telephone helpline for No Second Night Out nationwide.

Grant Shapps: On 15 December 2011 I announced my intention to ensure that a national 'No Second Night Out' telephone line would be in place by Christmas 2012.
	The reporting line will be, for the first time, a single national line covering England with an objective of improving systems for dealing with rough sleeping. It will contribute to tackling rough sleeping and single homelessness through identification, accountability and challenge to local authorities and their partners in addressing rough sleeping. Members of the public will be equipped to bring rough sleepers to the attention of an appropriate authority, to be empowered to understand the local response mechanisms and to receive timely feedback on action taken and the outcome of their report.

Homelessness

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the ministerial working group on homelessness has discussed the rise in homelessness and rough sleeping since May 2010.

Grant Shapps: Homelessness is half the average rate that it was under the previous administration and remains lower than in 28 of the last 30 years.
	The coalition Government is committed to tackling homelessness. We are investing £400 million in homelessness prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15). On top of that we provided an additional £70 million last year to help local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness.
	The aim of the working group is to prevent and tackle homelessness and improve the lives of those who do become homeless. By bringing the relevant Government Departments together, we are addressing the multi-faceted issues that contribute to homelessness.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been built as a result of the Government's NewBuy Guarantee scheme.

Grant Shapps: The Government is committed to reviewing the NewBuy Guarantee scheme in 2014. This review will include Government's assessment of the number of additional homes built as a result of the scheme.
	The Home Builders Federation estimates there will be at least 25,000 additional new homes built as a direct result of NewBuy.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) lenders and (b) housebuilders have signed up to the Government's NewBuy scheme; how many are not members of the Home Builders Federation; and what targets have been set for the number to sign up by the end of 2012.

Grant Shapps: As of 13 June 2012 five lenders (Barclays, Halifax, Nationwide, NatWest and Santander) and 13 builders (Barratt, Bellway, Berkeley, Bloor, Bovis, CALA, Crest Nicholson, Fairview, Linden, Morris, Persimmon, Redrow, and Taylor Wimpey) were operational—which is to say able to conduct business transactions—under the NewBuy Guarantee scheme, ensuring coverage of 73% of the mortgage market. One of those builders is not a member of the Home Builders Federation.
	No targets have been set regarding the number of builders participating in the scheme, though Government is working with partners to promote take-up.

Private Rented Housing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans his Department has to improve protections for tenants in the private rented sector.

Andrew Stunell: The current legislative framework already provides strong protections for tenants in the private rented sector while ensuring that the burdens on landlords are not such as to inhibit much needed growth in supply. Local authorities have extensive powers to take action against landlords letting poor quality or badly managed properties through the Housing Act 2004. We are encouraging local authorities to make more effective use of their existing powers to tackle criminal landlords, as outlined in my Department's press notice of 30 April 2012 on "beds in sheds".
	The Housing Act 2004 also provides for protection of tenants' deposits. In common with all businesses, landlords, and their agents, are also subject to consumer protection legislation and health and safety regulations. Finally, the Housing Act 1988 endorsed well established protections against unlawful eviction and excessive rents. The Government do not have plans to add to this range of protections.

Closed Material Procedures

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which government department made the decision to use a closed material procedure on each occasion on which that procedure has been used in each of the last 10 years.

Kenneth Clarke: Closed Material Procedures (CMPs) are available in a number of different contexts, including 14 different contexts in legislation referred to in written evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the Justice and Security Green Paper (and published by that Committee). How CMPs are initiated depends on the type of proceedings concerned, and it is not always the decision of the Department. In some cases, such as the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), the decision to refer a case to a closed procedure lies with the Secretary of State (in the case of SIAC, the Home Secretary). In other cases, such as TPIM proceedings, CMPs are automatically available. In contexts such as Employment Tribunal proceedings the relevant Secretary of State applies to the court. In other cases, including some Norwich Pharmacal claims and some judicial reviews, there is no provision for CMPs in legislation, but CMPs have been held either at the order of the court (though that is no longer possible in civil damages cases following the Supreme Court judgment in Al Rawi and Others in July 2011), or with the consent of parties to proceedings.
	CMPs have been used in cases involving a number of Government Departments, including the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Northern Ireland Office. Figures are not held centrally on which Departments are involved in specific types of litigation, and this includes litigation involving Closed Material Procedures.

Crimes of Violence

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment his Department has made of the evidence to support the hypothesis that viewing violent videos or films could have been a factor in cases in the criminal justice system.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 12 June 2012
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Government keeps abreast of the academic research on this subject, but when viewed as a whole, there is no persuasive evidence of a causal link between violent material in films and videos and violent behaviour in real life.
	However, we believe it is important to ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate material and that is why there is a classification system in place—operated by the British Board of Film Classification.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what (a) meetings he has had with and (b) representations he has received from PortalCo on the practicality of implementing changes to the RTA portal by April 2013, in respect of inclusion of (i) higher value road traffic accidents, (ii) employers' liability claims, (iii) public liability claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects to publish draft rules to extend the RTA portal to (a) higher value road traffic accidents, (b) employers' liability claims and (c) public liability claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what his definition is of a public liability personal injury claim;
	(4)  how many and what proportion of claims dropped out of the RTA portal at each stage in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and what the predominant reason was for dropping out at each stage;
	(5)  how many and what proportion of claims for (a) road accidents, (b) employers' liability and (c) public liability dealt with in the (i) fast track and (ii) portal he estimates will be dealt with under the small claims system under his proposal to increase the limit for small claims to £5,000; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  if he will place a copy of Professor Fenn's report on the Road Traffic Accident portal system in the Library;
	(7)  what his policy is on the use of the Road Traffic Accident portal by unrepresented claimants when bringing a personal injury claim; and whether such claimants will be required to use the portal in the event of an increase in the small claims limit;
	(8)  what assessment he has made of the likely change in the number and proportion of claims that will enter the Road Traffic Accidents portal if his proposal to increase the small claims limit for personal injury claims to £5,000 is implemented.

Jonathan Djanogly: (1) The Government's announced its intention to extend the Pre-Action Protocol for low value personal injury claims in road traffic accidents (the RTA Protocol) on 9 February 2012. The extended scheme will be implemented by April 2013 and will include road traffic accident, employer's liability and public liability claims up to a value of £25.000. I met with members of the RTA Portal Company Board on 1 March 2012 to discuss issues arising from the extension in terms of the modification of the RTA Portal. On 22 March 2012, I hosted a roundtable meeting to discuss issues relating to the extension with key stakeholders, including representatives of the RTA Portal Company.
	I have not received any written representations on these issues directly from the RTA Portal Company, other than in connection with these meetings. However, I am aware of the company's concerns about the practicality of implementing modifications to the RTA Portal resulting from extension of the RTA Protocol by April 2013, and my officials are working with the company to address these concerns.
	(2) The revision of the RTA Protocol and the supporting Civil Procedure Rules is being taken forward by a sub-committee of the Civil Procedure Rules Committee. It is not appropriate, therefore, for me to comment on the timing of the publication of any such revision. Any modification of the RTA Portal is a matter for the RTA Portal Company.
	(3) The definition of a public liability personal injury claim for the purposes of the extended RTA personal injury scheme will be set out in the relevant Pre-Action Protocol.
	(4) The RTA Portal is run by the RTA Portal Company, which is a privately owned and privately funded enterprise. Therefore, this Department does not hold the information requested. However, I understand from the RTA Portal Company that since its go-live date in April 2010:
	the main reason for drop out at Stage 1 is timeout in the absence of a decision by the insurer with regard to liability (356,529), representing 26% of submitted claims; and
	the predominant reason for drop out at Stage 2 is caused by a timeout for no response (34,335) which represents 2.5% of submitted claims.
	The RTA Portal Company does not hold information about cases which have proceeded to Stage 3, as this is not a function of the RTA Portal.
	(5) The potential impact of increasing the small claims personal injury limit on the number and proportion of RTA, employer's liability and public liability claims using the fast track and the RTA Protocol will be assessed in the light of responses to the forthcoming consultation on increasing that limit.
	(6) I can confirm that a copy of Professor Fenn's report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses on publication.
	(7) The RTA Pre-action Protocol allows unrepresented claimants to bring a personal injury claim. The operation of the RTA Portal in this regard is a matter for the RTA Portal Company. The use of the RTA Protocol and RTA Portal by such claimants in the event of an increase to the small claims PI limit will be reviewed in the light of the forthcoming consultation.
	(8) The potential impact of increasing the small claims personal injury limit on use of the RTA Protocol (and, therefore, on use of the RTA Portal) will be assessed in the light of responses to the forthcoming consultation on increasing that limit.

Road Traffic Offences

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to reform the criminal justice system in order to improve public safety and the performance of the Probation Service; and what the outcomes of these initiatives were.

Crispin Blunt: On 27 March we published proposals to deliver more effective and efficient probation services, alongside proposals for reforming community sentences. The Government is seeking to extend competition in probation services and give probation trusts a stronger role as commissioners of competed services, in order to better punish and reform offenders and protect the public. The consultation closes on 22 June.
	This Government has also legislated to introduce police and crime commissioners, who will have a crucial role to play in this context. In addition to their core policing function, police and crime commissioners will have a remit to cut crime, and will have commissioning powers and funding to enable them to do this. The Government expects police and crime commissioners to work constructively with other local leaders to transform services aimed at improving public safety.

Squatting

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plans to review the law on adverse property possession.

Jonathan Djanogly: We have no plans to review the law of England and Wales relating to the ownership of land by adverse possession.